Start of Darkness
by UnfetteredChaos
Summary: This fanfiction is to serve as a prequel for my OC Warden in Tokyorose627's Dragon Age Inquisition RP, where he is one of the major antagonists and will eventually be the main antagonist. Takes place during Origins, will include all the DLCs, and will extend to Awakening, Golems of Amgarrak, Witch Hunt, and DA2, and even beyond. I will keep it as Canon as possible.
1. Encounter

**This fanfiction is to serve as a prequel for my OC Warden in Tokyorose627's Dragon Age Inquisition RP, where he is one of the major antagonist and will eventually be the main villain. Takes place during Origins, will include all the DLCs, and will extend to Awakening and Witch Hunt, and maybe DA2.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All rights go to their rightful owners. This is for entertainment, not profit.**

**Chapter 1:**

**Encounter**

Theron Mahariel ran through the Brecilian Forest as swiftly as he could. As the Sabrae Clan's most promising warrior, he was lucky that he was also one of the fastest, even while wearing the heavy armor of the Dalish, with a shield upon his back and a longsword gripped tightly in his hand. The forest green armor that he wore made him blend into the forest around him so that he seemed to be a shadow as he ran. The armor held the image of a snarling wolf on it's chestplate, while his shield bore the image of a tree, homages to Fen'Harel and Mythal, respectively. His sword, however, held the image of a burning sun on it's hilt, the flames travelling up the blade itself, a tribute to Elgar'nan, the eleven god of vengeance.

It was supposed to be a routine hunt. Keeper Marethari had sent them out to gather food. Despite not being one of the clan's bowmen, he was able to hunt, and liked to do so, preferring for his game to be larger animals, such as wolves or bears. They provided more of a challenge, and he felt giving an animal a fair fight more honorable, teeth and claws against sword and shield, a battle for survival for both of them. He had managed to kill a wolf before he'd heard it, the sounds of a struggle coming from where he'd left Tamlen, along with the sound of voices, human voices, forcing him to abandon his kill.

He had never been one to admit to his feelings. It wasn't in him. He had always been cold and aloof, even with his own clan. He had never known why. But an anger and hatred was always with him, a darkness that always felt absolute, like what he imagined the Void to be like, a darkness he didn't wish to touch the others. He didn't want them hurt. His clan was his family - Ashalle, Keeper Marethari, Tamlen, Fenarel, Merrill. If the shems had even touched Tamlen...

He was getting close. He could hear Tamlen and the shems talking. He let himself breathe a sigh of relief at the fact that Tamlen was safe before he pulled his shield from his back and unsheathed his sword. He rounded the last tree and put his sword to the throat of one of the shems. The shem's gasp of shock and fear succeeded at bringing a half smile to his face, as did seeing Tamlen with his bow strained on the other two humans.

Tamlen smiled at his arrival. "You're just in time, da'len. I found these shems lurking in the bushes. Bandits, probably." His contempt for the shemlins was clear. Theron assessed the shemlins himself quickly. Bandits? He doubted that. They wore no armor and carried no weapons. But considering how deep in the forest their camp was, it was rare that shemlins ventured this close to their camp without actually having been looking for them.

His musings were cut off when the shemlins themselves spoke. "We're not bandits, I swear," the one who appeared to be the leader said in his defense. He was so afraid that he appeared near tears. "Please. Don't hurt us."

Tamlen laughed cruelly, a sound that surprised him, though he wasn't foolish enough to glance over at him. It bothered him though. It was something that he would have done. Tamlen was usually the kinder of the two of them, but he was beginning to harden, it seemed. Was it because of him? "You shemlins are pathetic. It's hard to believe that you ever drove us from our homeland." Theron had never been able to truly believe that either. It had nothing to do with finding the shemlins inferior, however. The ancient elves had been more advanced, with powerful magic, and immortality. So how had they not only lost, but fallen so far?

The shemlins actually looked confused as the same one from before spoke again. "We've done nothing to you, Dalish." Theron couldn't keep himself from laughing at that. When had humans not done something to them? His laugh made the shem pause, before he continued nervously, "Listen, we didn't know this was your forest-"

"_Our_ forest," Theron responded angrily, cutting off the shem as his laughter ended abruptly. "We don't stake claim to something not ours! We're not shemlins!" To a Dalish, forests were like living, breathing things. Majestic, immortal, and enduring. Just as they once were... They could not be owned... He did not see Tamlen's quick, sympathetic glance.

Tamlen turned a glare back on the shems. "The forest is not ours, shemlin," he responded to the shemlins calmer than Theron had. "You've stumbled too close to our camp. You shemlin are like vermin. We can't trust you not to make mischief." He spoke to Theron then. "What do you say, Lethallin? What should we do with them?"

Theron didn't wonder why Tamlen was leaving it up to him. As the son of the former Keeper, he held a rank in the clan as high as Merrill had. Beyond that, the others knew better than to challenge him. Even Merrill didn't. Only Keeper Marethari didn't fear him. While he knew that his own clan fearing him should make him feel bad, guilty or regretful even, it instead empowered him. And power was the one thing that he had never been able to say no to. "We should kill them all before more shemlins come to kill or enslave us all."

Tamlen considered that. "It's a good idea. The shems won't know of our involvement in their deaths, and even if they suspect us, no one will be able to lead them to us." He was clearly pleased by the thought.

"Look, we didn't come here to make trouble," one of the other shems spoke up quickly. "We just found a cave."

"Yeah!" the leader spoke up, jumping upon what he probably saw as a lifeline. "A cave, with ruins like I've never seen! We thought there might be..." He suddenly hinged, as if he thought he had made a misstep, which he had. "... uh..."

"Treasure?" Tamlen finished for him with annoyance. Theron was feeling the same annoyance. Once again, shems sought what wasn't theirs to take. "So you're more akin to thieves than actual bandits."

Theron saw Tamlen about to kill them and actually stopped him by saying, "Wait, Tamlen. The ruins they found may be elven. Even if not, they could hold something of value. If it is, I want it." Many ancient artifacts, elven or not, held power.

"But I've never heard of ruins in these parts," Tamlen responded doubtfully.

"We... we have proof!" the leader of the shems revealed quickly. He came forward slowly and carefully to hand Tamlen something. "Here. We found this just inside the entrance."

Tamlen took it before motioning the shem to move back. Only then did he risk taking his eyes from them to look over the artifact that he'd been given. He soon looked both shocked and intrigued. "This... stone has... carvings... Is this elvish?! _Written_ elvish?!"

"There's more in the ruins!" The shem looked nervous again, as well as almost... terrified, and not of them this time. "We... didn't get very far in, though."

Theron's eyes narrowed. What was scaring them even more than a sword and arrows? "Why are you so frightened?" he demanded to know. "Why didn't you get further in?"

The shemlin said nothing at first before responding in a terrified tone. "There was a demon! It was huge, with black eyes! Thank the Maker we were able to outrun it!"

Tamlen scoffed in disbelief. "A demon." Theron was silent. Unlike Tamlen, he no longer believed the shems were lying. Fear like that wasn't faked. There was something wrong. He was starting to get a bad feeling about all of this. It wasn't fear that he felt. He had never been afraid of anything. What he felt was... foreboding. "Where is this cave?"

The leader thought for a moment. "Just off to the west, I think," he said with a look to the other shems, who nodded in confirmation. "There's a cave in the rock face, and a huge hole just inside."

"Well," Tamlen said, directing his words towards Theron again. "Do you trust them? Should we let them go?"

Theron thought it over. If there were elven artifacts to be found, then the shems had actually helped them. If it led him to more power, then the shems had helped him personally. He would reward them for their service with their lives. He finally lowered his sword. "You have done us a service. But know this, if my clan comes to harm because of you, I will hunt you both down and make you suffer." He didn't wait for a response before looking over at Tamlen. "Let them go."

Tamlen grudgingly lowered his bow slowly while saying, "Run along then, shems! And don't return until we Dalish have moved on!"

The shems wasted no time in running, though Theron was surprised that they actually had time to call back to them, "Of course! Thank you! Thank you!" Theron tilted his head as he looked after them, not sure how to take their gratitude and politeness after they'd just threatened to kill the shems. He didn't have time to dwell on it for long, however, as Tamlen moved in front of him and looked at him with a serious expression. Theron raised an eyebrow in question at his look.

"Shall we see if there's any truth to their story?" Tamlen asked him. Theron got that feeling again, the one of foreboding. At his hesitation, Tamlen showed him the artifact the shem had given him. "These carvings make me curious."

Theron looked over the stone himself. The carvings did look elven. "I would assume you would be. Humans and dwarves may have many faults, but apparently curiosity is ours," he responded with a dry humor, causing Tamlen to laugh. "But I've never been one to fear, and the artifacts in that cave could be of use to me. Let us go then."

Tamlen was pleased with his acquiesce. "I knew you'd be fearless!" He looked around then. "Now then, they said it was to the west..."


	2. Mirror, Mirror

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All rights go to their rightful owners. This is for entertainment, not profit.**

**Chapter 2:**

**Mirror, Mirror**

It didn't take them long to find the cave the shems spoke of. Theron didn't know if that was a good or bad thing, but his instincts told him the latter. He looked around as Tamlen checked out the entrance. The cave was very close to their camp. How had they never noticed it before, especially since this area was practically crawling with... things. They looked like men and beasts, but... wrong, twisted. He didn't know what they were as he'd never seen them before, nor heard stories from any of the clans.

"This is definitely the cave," Tamlen said to him, though it sounded more as if he was talking to himself. It caused Theron to look over at him. "I don't recall seeing this before, do you?"

Theron shook his head as he looked around again. That was what was weird though. Their clan tended to search areas before settling down in them, in case there were too many shems nearby, or slavers. "How could the scouts not have seen it? It's not exactly small. What, did they just see a giant ancient cave and not think it important?" His tone was sarcastic, not cruel. It was more likely that the cave was hidden somehow than that the scouts didn't see it. Magic, maybe, that wore off? The ancient elves were known for it. He told Tamlen his theory.

Tamlen shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Our good luck, then, as the clan is preparing to move." He turned his gaze back to the cave with clear interest. "Let's see what's inside."

Theron grabbed his arm as he moved to go inside. "Let's just go back. We can tell Keeper Marethari and she'll probably send a group." Tamlen looked at him in disbelief. "It's just an old ruin. There's probably nothing."

Tamlen shook his head, pulling away. "Anything from our past is something, Theron." He paused when Theron still hesitated, looking inside the cave, before playing on what he knew was his weakness. "Elven artifacts are usually sources of great power. Power that could be harnessed, used."

Theron looked at him, interest sparking in his own eyes now. He was seriously considering it now, but as he saw the faces of his friends in his mind... He shook his head. "I won't risk the clan, our friends, Tamlen. Not even for power."

Tamlen chewed on his lip before shaking his head. "Then go back. I'm checking the cave." Theron grabbed him again and looked at him with a glare now, but Tamlen cut him off before he could say anything. "Are you going to kill me like you kill others?" Theron paused, taken aback. Did he actually think...? "Then come on, or go back, but if you go back..." He smiled then. "... I'll be in there alone." He went in then.

Theron cursed in elven before going inside after him. He would just have to make sure to protect Tamlen and kill any threats. The cave proved dangerous, but not nearly as much as he'd thought it would. They had only had to fight giant spiders and more of those creatures, and with every successful fight, he began to slowly relax. He was intrigued to discover many elven aartifacts, and even without added power to them, it was amazing. They briefly stopped at a statue that Tamlen spotted first, knowing more about ancient artifacts than he did.

"I can't believe this," Tamlen said after they had spent a few minutes studying the statue. He looked over at Theron, who stood beside him. "You recognize this statue, don't you?" Theron just gave Tamlen a look. If elves saw pieces of eleven culture daily, he was pretty sure that they wouldn't have lost so much of it. At his look, Fallen just explained. "Back when our people lived in Arlathan, statues like these honored the Creators. When the shems enslaved us, much of that lore was lost." Tamlen looked the statue over more, becoming confused. "This looks like human architecture... with a statue of our people. Can these ruins date back to the time of Arlathan?"

Theron looked saddened a moment, then furious, then he just sighed in resignation. Anger and hatred towards the shems wasn't worth it. Besides, not all of them were like those who had destroyed their culture. Something about the statue and Tamlen's theory bothered him though. "Since when did elves live in caves?"

"We must have lived in other places too," Tamlen responded readily. He shrugged, not worried about it. "Even if elves didn't live here, its architects knew of our gods." Noticing Theron's continued skepticism, he sighed, suddenly showing that he was also bothered. "Look. This place makes me nervous, too. But, now that I think about it, weren't you supposed to be assisting Master Varathorn today. How did you end up coming with me?"

Theron shrugged. "I volunteered to come hunt with you. I like being in the forest, among the trees, feeling the wind." It calmed him. Put him at ease more than anything else did. It was the only time that he felt connected to the ancient elves and the Creators.

Tamlen chuckled warmly and fondly. "I've never seen anyone more content to wander. I bet you'll end up a flat-ear someday, living in the cities like a shem." Theron gave him an annoyed look. He may have no hatred of shems, but he still didn't want to be likened to one. Tamlen raised his hands in surrender. "I was just trying to cheer you up. You've been uneasy since we learned of the cave. But aren't you even curious? We could be discovering our history. Minstrels will write songs about us!"

"I've never wanted esteem, Tamlen," Theron responded. Glory had never been on his list of something he wanted. What he wanted was... He didn't even know. Maybe just to feel like he belonged. He loved his clan, but there was just something... "Why are you so intent on this?" he asked Tamlen with some resignation.

Tamlen sighed. "If I were to bring some valuable ancestral artifact back to the Keeper, she might forgive me for..." He stopped and shook his head. "... Well, you know..." He changed the subject. "At any rate, I didn't expect this place to feel quite like this. Maybe you're right. Maybe this wasn't the best idea..."

Well, at least Tamlen wasn't being annoyingly stubborn now. But this really seemed to be important to him, so Theron would suck up his own doubts. Sighing, he asked, "Alright, Tamlen. What do you think of the place so far?"

Tamlen smiled that he was finally going along with everything. "Honestly, I'm not sure. This looks like a very old human place. Why would they build this? And why would elven artifacts be here?" He thought for a moment. "Maybe some of our ancestors lived here. In caves, like the dwarves. I'll stick to roaming the land, myself."

Theron took all of that in. He had a feeling that he was missing something, something dangerously important. "And why do you think we're so... uneasy?"

Tamlen frowned. "I don't know." He looked around cautiously. "I have this odd sensation that we've... disturbed something. Like we've walked into a dragon's lair. The air here feels so... sinister." He waved it off. "Well, whatever it is, it won't stop me. A Dalish hunter fears nothing!" His bravado left him a second later. "Still, some things may lie ahead. Let's press on. I want to know how our people were involved with this."

Theron nodded before continuing on. They ended up having to backtrack several times in this place, due it twisting practically like a maze, but eventually they came to another door before opening it. Opening it proved to be the wrong thing to do as they were instantly attacked by a large bear, though looked like no bear he had ever seen. It was hairless in place, pieces of it rotting off, and spikes protruded from it's back. It's eyes were the worst though, full of madness, as if evil had taken up root in it.

It went straight for Theron, who raised his sword just in time for the bear to ram into it full force, only sheer willpower and combat prowess keeping him on his feet. He could hear Tamlen firing arrows rapidly and shifted his own feet for better leverage before slamming his shield into the bear three times, the last blow actually making the bear stumble backward. Theron took the chance to run the bear through, and collapsed dead on the ground, blood spurting over his blade and arm. He yanked his sword back out before realizing that Tamlen had turned the bear into a pincushion. He looked over the bear itself, kneeling beside it, only one thought in his mind. _What the hell is this thing?_

"Theron, come look at this," he heard Tamlen say with awe in his voice. Theron looked toward him to see Tamlen near a set of stairs that led up to... _A mirror? _Theron frowned and stood to go over beside Tamlen. He looked over the mirror. It was rimmed in silver and gold, with an inscription across the top that he couldn't read as it was too worn and in an unknown language. Despite the grime everywhere else, the glass of the mirror was clean and clear. But there was something wrong with it, and it took him a moment to realize what. It cast no reflection. He couldn't see anything in the glass. "It's beautiful, isn't it? I wonder what the writing says."

"The Keeper may be able to read it," Theron said distractedly. It was the mirror. Whatever bad thing thing he'd been sensing, it was the mirror. Something foul was permeating from it. He could also hear... Voices? But he couldn't make out the words.

"Maybe, but she's not here to help us," Tamlen responded, apparently not sensing what he was. "It's odd that it isn't broken like everything else, especially with that bear lumbering around in here." Theron started, not having thought about that. "I wonder what the writing is for. Maybe this isn't-" He broke off with a gasp suddenly and Theron looked at him quickly, but Tamlen's eyes were still fixed on the mirror. "Did you see that?" Theron looked back at the mirror, not seeing anything different himself. "I think something moved inside the mirror."

Theron looked at the mirror closely. While he still couldn't see anything himself, that didn't mean that there was nothing there. Magic was clearly at play here, and he didn't like it at all. "Get away from it, Tamlen. We're leaving, now."

"Hold on!" Tamlen snapped as he pulled away when Theron attempted to pull him away. "I just want to know what it is! Don't you see it?" Before Theron could say that he didn't _want_ to see it, Tamlen shouted out, "There it is again! Can you feel that? I think it knows we're here. I just need to take a closer look."

_Yes, because going toward something unknown moving inside of a mirror made sense. It was a good thing Tamlen wasn't a mage or he'd be an abomination by now._ Theron hesitated, but followed Tamlen up the stairs after a moment.

Tamlen looked into the mirror for a moment before placing a hand to the glass. "It's... showing me places. I can see..." Theron could see something now. As soon as Tamlen touched the glass, it seemed to flash a different color, the surface of it shimmering like ripples in water.

Theron began to back away from it, not liking the feeling of evil he could suddenly sense emanating from it in waves. How could Tamlen not sense it? "Tamlen-"

"It's some kind of city," Tamlen cut him off, too absorbed in what he was seeing now to listen. "It's underground... And... there's a great blackness." Theron suddenly remembered something a shem had once told him about, but before he could warn Tamlen, he shouted out, "It saw me!" The ripples started coming much faster then. "Help!"

"Tamlen!" Theron called out for him. He had moved too far away from Tamlen and the mirror to just pull him away and ran for him.

"I can't look away!" Theron yelled out, now sounding terrified and panicked.

"Tamlen!" Theron called out again. He reached to grab him and just before he managed to a bright light erupted from the mirror and everything went white.


End file.
